Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



L. T. FAIRBANKS.

Breech Loader.

Patented June 22, 1869.

Lilhognphor. Washington. 0.

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LEWIS 'r. FAIRBANKS, 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No. 91,616, dated June 22, 1869 IMPROVEBIENT INBREECH-LOADING- FIRE-ARMS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thename.

Know all men by these presents:

ThatI, Lnwis T. FAmBImKs, of the city and exact deseription'of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, in which--- 7 Figure 1 represents a side view of so muchof a breech-loading fire-arm as is necessary to illustrate my presentimprovements;

1 Figure 2 represents a longitudinal central section of the parts shownin fig. 1;

Figure 3 represents a rear view of thehinged breechpiece as itappearswhen the front of the barrel is depressed, for the purpose ofremoving the metalliccarbridge-shell; and

Figure 4: represents a horizontal section of so much of the parts shownin fig. 1 as is necessary to show or illustrate the operation of thecatch or holding-device.

To enable those skilled in the art to which my invention belongs, tomake and use the same, I will describe it more in detail.

In the drawings-- A is the front part of the barrel, the rear end, a, ofwhich is turned down smooth, to fit the inside of the smooth part, b, ofthe hole or chamber in the hinged breech-piece B. y

The part act the barrel A is provided with a screwthread, to fit thethreaded part, (I, of the chamber in the piece B.

It will be seen, by reference to fig. 2 of the drawings, that when therear part of barrel A is screwed into the chamber in the hinged part B,the rear end thereof fits up close against shoulder 1 in said chamber.

" The chamber in the hinged part B extends entirely through it, so thatthe loaded cartridge or shell 0 can be inserted from the rear, as fullyindicated in the drawings.

The part B is recessed or cored out, to receive the shell-extractor D,which 'is provided, on its rear end, with an upright projection, e, theupper rear part of which is recessed or cut away, to fit the flange, f,of the shell 0, as fully shown in figs. 2 and 3, while the lower rearpart is recessed or cut away, to allow the catch-piece E to work backand forth, as will be here-.

alter explained.

The under side of the shell-extractor D is provided with teeth, 2, tofit the teeth or cogs 3, in the circular projection g, of the piece h,the latter piece being secured in a recess or slot cut in the frontupper part of the supporting-arm G.

Piece his held in place by pins 4 4, as indicated in the drawings.

The lower part of the piece B is recessed out sufliciently to'receivethe cogged projection .g, to which it is hinged or secured by means ofpin 5.

By this construction and arrangement of the parts, it will be seen, thatwhen the front of the barrel A is depressed, or turned on pin 5, theshell-extractor D is caused to move back, relatively, as respectsthehinged breech-piece B, thereby withdrawing the metallic shell 0, asindicated in fig. 3, and is caused to assume the position shown in fig.2, when the barrel is swung back into a horizontal position. I p

The cartridge-extractor D, therefore, has a positive motion imparted toit in both direct-ions, such motions being produced by the simpledepression and elevation of the barrel A, thus obviating the complicatedand independent devices in common use for operating the shell-extractorin breech-loading fire-arms.

The catch-piece E is provided with flanges 6 6, which fit on each sideof the hinged piece B, and by means of which said catch-piece can beforced forward, by the fingers, out of the notch 7, in the front part ofthe recoil-piece orhead H, to release the hinged piece: B, so that thebarrel can be depressed, as shown in fig. 3, for the purpose ofwithdrawing the empty shell,

and inserting a loaded one.

Catch-piece E is forced out by means of spiral springs 8, inserted inholes in the lower rear side of .the part B, as indicated in fig. 4.

Catch-piece E is provided with a lip, which strikes against the head ofscrew in, thereby preventing ,the springs from throwing it too far out,when in the position shown in fig. 3. (See fig. 2.)

To relieve somewhat the head of the recoil-piece H,

a projection, 12, is formed on the under side of the piece B, which fitsinto a corresponding recess, 0, in the upper side of arm G, when theparts are locked in position for firing, as shown in figs. 1 and 2.

Slide or catch-piece E is fitted to work upon a slight incline, the rearpart being the highest, and slot 7 is made of a corresponding shape,thereby securing the said slide-piece from liability of being slippedback prematurely out of said slot by a simple downward pressure upon thefront of barrel A. v

By making the part B, which receives the cartridge, separate from thefront part, A, of the barrel, the arm can be made much cheaper, while,at the same time, the necessary strengtlnol' the breech is retained.

The slide catch-piece F serves as a support for the rear end of theshell-extractor D.

By my improvements, the construction of a breechloading fire-arm isgreatly simplified and cheapened.

Having described my improvements in breech-loading fire-arms,

\Vhat I claim therein as new, and of my invention, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. The arrangement, in a break-down breech-loading fire-arm, such asdescribed, of the toothed shell extractor, held and slidingin the rearend of the hinged barrel, with the stationary cog-projection g, to whichthe barrel is hinged, and by which the extractor is operated, when thebarrel is tilted, substantially as shown and set forth.

2. The arrangement, in the rear end of the hinged barrel, and withrespect to the recoil or locking-piece, of the catch-piece E, springs 88, and stop on, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. The combination, in the rear end of the hinged barrel, of theshell-extractor, and the sliding catch-

